Nord Alley Welcomes New Business: Back Alley Bike Repair

Nord Alley welcomes a pioneer in business, Back Alley Bike Repairwhich opened February 14th in time to service bicycles in preparation for the annual Chilly Hilly Ride around Bainbridge Island. Owned by Benjamin Rainbow, Back Alley Bike Repair (BABR) offers non-intimidating customer service-oriented expertise for all of your bicycle needs as well as an expanded retail selection, custom builds, purposefully built bikes aimed at urban cyclists in a warm hospitable setting.

Formally JRA- Downtown, the bicycle shop moved from 311 3rd Avenue S, to its new location The Nord Building, 314 1st Avenue S, under new owner, Benjamin Rainbow. As the first business with a Nord Alley-facing entrance, BABR will share the Nord Building with the Bicycle Alliance of Washington, Feet First, OneEnergy Renewables, and building owners, the International Sustainable Institute.

BABR will celebrate Nord Alley’s revitalization and the cycling community of Seattle with a Grand Opening on March 1st, coinciding with First Thursday’s Art Walk of Pioneer Square. In conjunction with an offering of food and beverages, BABR will feature an Art Installation in the alley curated by the International Sustainable Institute, friends of the Bicycle Alliance, and Back Alley Bike Repair.

“I am incredibly thrilled to be the first person in the pool for the social experiment that is activating the alley. It’s about cities, It’s about people, It’s about connecting people to their city,” Rainbow says, “Ultimately, I am inspired by the work the ISI [International Sustainable Institute] had done and continues to do. When they approached me about opening a bike shop in the [Nord] alley, I had to say yes. It was a no-brainer.”

Benjamin Rainbow, a native of Minneapolis and 5 year resident of Seattle, will bring 15+ years working with bikes, urban planners, non-profits, and artists to establish what he hopes will be a true gem in the Pioneer Square neighborhood. Julian Aristeo (Service Lead), a Seattle native and former service lead at Gregg’s Cycle, currently #1 in the world of Bike Polo, brings a unique energy and informed perspective to everything he does.

Back Alley Bike Repair is an urban cycling emporium, offering a quality selection of durable goods and professional world class service in a unique parlor setting. Rainbow says, “I want it to be a place people go to feel inspired about cycling and a place they’re eager to share with their friends.”